As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,696 to Ryan, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, an infusion intravenous (IV) set can be used with an ambulatory infusion pump to deliver fluid from an IV bag within the infusion pump to a patient. Though termed an “IV set,” the set may be used for any type of vascular infusion.
Conventional infusion sets comprise clear, flexible medical grade tubing, terminating at one end in a bag spike, and terminating at the other end in a conventional Luer, or any other type of medical connector. A releasable clamp is positioned along the length of the tubing to prevent the inadvertent passage of fluid through the tubing.
In use, intravenous (IV) infusion sets are typically primed with fluid prior to use to ensure that all air has been removed from inside the tubing that is attached to the IV bag. The spiking and priming process typically involves first closing a clamp that is mounted to the tubing and then spiking an IV bag with a bag spike or any other connector that is attached to a proximal end of the tubing. The IV bag is then hung from a pole and the operator opens the clamp. The fluid then travels through length of the tubing under gravity and travels beyond the open clamp. When reaching the distal end of the tubing, the operator closes the clamp to stop the fluid. If the clamp is not completely closed, then fluid may drip from the distal end of the tubing.